During last week’s meeting, the Board of Regents decided LSU and every other college and university in Louisiana may raise tuition by 5 percent.
This power was granted after the University met 2010 LA GRAD Act objectives including student success, articulation and transfer, workforce and economic development and institutional efficiency and accountability.
There are four designations an institution can earn — Green, Yellow, Orange and Red.
The University earned Green status, meaning it “passed the Student Success Objective and two or three other GRAD Act performance objectives.”
“Under the GRAD Act, Regents entered into six-year agreements which set institution-specific targets, including annual performance measures that result in educational improvements,” the news release explained. “Because each institution has its own targets for progress, [performance] is measured against its own improvement plan.”
The student success objective is mandatory for an institution to retain tuition authority for the new academic year and remain eligible for autonomies.
LSU Chancellor Mike Martin said higher tuition is needed to help with the budget situation and cover costs such as unfunded mandates, which will total around $9 million this year.
Since January 2009, LSU’s state appropriations have been cut by more than $45 million, resulting in the elimination of programs and services and the loss of about 376 positions.
Martin said the 10 percent tuition increase was needed to cover these costs.
Natalie Reina, mass communication freshman, said she isn’t concerned about tuition increases.
“I have a huge scholarship to go here, so I guess it doesn’t matter,” she said.
Jeremy Chandler, education graduate student, said the tuition increase will be worth the money.
“[The tuition increase] probably will [affect me] when I pay off my student loans in a few years,” he said. “We have among the lowest tuition in the country. I’d rather pay a higher tuition than have more teachers fired.”
Martin said the TOPS program and the Pelican Promise, available to any Pell Grant-eligible student in the state, can help students who are in need of financial assistance.
“Even with tuition increasing, LSU remains accessible to all students who qualify,” Martin said in an email to The Daily Reveille.
 
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Contact Rachel Wilson at [email protected]